Reading response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 19

Reading response - Essay Example Southern states viewed this law as a threat because, in their view, it would increase the political influence of the West. Therefore, the law was passed during the first civil war when there was no Southern opposition. Signed into law in February 1881, this act was sponsored by Massachusetts Senator H.L Dawes, to provide for the granting of landholdings to Native Americans for replacing communal tribal holdings. This act aimed at including social divisions into the national society. This act also formed a trust fund to gather and disseminate the proceeds from timber, oil, mineral and grazing leases on the lands of Native Americans. Legislators hoped to complete the absorption process through division of reservation lands into privately owned lands (Kutler 220).They wanted to put an end to the communal life-style that the Native Americans had been living, by imposing Western values within the small household units. Allotments could be sold after a 25-year period, which was the statutory period, and non-allotted surplus land opened to settlers. After years of the act, it had the negative impact on the unity, culture, and self-government of the Native Americans. Immediately after the discovery of oil, Rockefeller was immediately attracted to this business. In 1863, he joined hands with partners to create a refining business. In 1870, he teamed with his brother to form the Standard Oil Company, which employed several devices to gain control of 90% of the oil business. Rockefeller bought every component demanded for producing oil barrels, and this way, he was able to keep his competitors away because he had monopolized the business. The Standard Oil Company cut its prices to withstand short term losses. This rate war strategy ensured that smaller competitors were kicked out of the market since they could not keep pace. Rockefeller also believed in intimidation, and, on